Investigators involved in the probe of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s alleged illegal affairs are hinting they believe they have amassed sufficient evidence to move ahead with a criminal indictment.

Lieberman is suspected of money laundering, fraud, bribery, breach of trust and other white collar crimes. Having been under the Israel Police microscope many times in the last decade, always emerging unscathed, he scoffed the latest allegations from police, insisting as in the past, he is innocent of alleged wrongdoing.

Last Thursday, Lieberman was questioned by police for almost 8 hours followed by another session on Friday. He was already informed that he will have to appear for questioning a number of times this week as police indicate they believe an indictment will be forthcoming in the near future. According to police, documents taken from his attorney and close associate Yoav Manny, tie him to criminal activities.

Aides to Lieberman released a statement to the press that he has been the subject of police investigations for 13 years and has even turned to the High Court of Justice to expedite the cases to permit him to get on with his life. They add that Lieberman has been cooperative and will continue to cooperate with police investigators, stating he does benefit from good coffee at investigation sessions.

There were a number of objections to his appointment as a senior minister in the shadow of the police investigation but the attorney general ruled there is no reason Lieberman cannot hold the Foreign Ministry portfolio as long as he is not indicted.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)